The Impact Of Private Label Sales Penetration On Category Profitability

This study analyzes the impact that private label brands have on category profitability in supermarkets within the framework of category management. Category management seeks to enhance the overall performance of product categories as measured by profitability. Private label brands have dramatically increased in recent years in supermarkets with a key objective of improving category profitability. This longitudinal study uses Point-of-Sale (POS) data from a supermarket retailer over three years consisting of 39 periods. Data is collected from ten product categories from the center store comprised of dry grocery, frozen foods, and refrigerated dairy. The results of this study indicate that in only two categories, a significant positive relationship existed between category private label sales penetration and category profitability

The Impact Of Extrinsic Motivational Dissatisfiers On Employee Level Of Job Satisfaction And Commitment Resulting In The Intent To Turnover

This study examines the relationship between Extrinsic motivational factors such as Perceived Supervisor Support (PSS) and job satisfaction, organizational commitment and the intent to leave. Using a sample of 46 managers and clerical support staff at a Supermarket retailer, the findings indicate that as employees’ perception of Supervisor Support increases, their organizational commitment (affective and continuance) and job satisfaction significantly increase. Also, as employee organizational commitment (affective and continuance) and job satisfaction increase, their intent to leave significantly decreases

Scale Development For Breakfast Cereals Using The Kelly Repertory Grid Technique

Consumer research is a key component of retail strategy and a major facilitator in the formation of a competitive advantage (Devlin, Birtwistle & Macedo, 2003). A sophisticated research approach that contributes a meaningful understanding of the dynamics of consumer’s perceptual orientations is of particular value to retailers (Mitchell, 2001). Gaining knowledge of the attributes consumers value and use to discriminate between products and why those attributes are important can generate a sustainable competitive advantage for retailers (Mitchell & Harris, 2005). Consumer perceptions of product attributes are crucial factors in the choice of food products. A focus on the subjective entities of a product as perceived by consumers is a major determining factor in the success of many product marketing strategies (Kupiec & Revell, 2001). One method that has been utilized to identify product attributes is the Kelly repertory grid method (Kelly, 1955). This method has also been used in previous studies for the recognition of food product attributes (Thomson & McEwan, 1988). The repertory grid technique (RGT) has been adopted in consumer research for examining consumers’ perceptions of products and services (Marsden & Littler, 2000). The following research project intends to help retailers understand grocery shoppers’ perceptions of breakfast cereals. The objective of the research is two-fold. First, to determine which attributes consumers perceive differences between breakfast cereals. Second, to generate a survey to measure the underlying constructs comprising breakfast cereals using the Kelly Repertory Grid Techniqu

Customer Lifetime Value: A Vital Marketing/Financial Concept For Businesses

One of the most important decisions in finance is the investment decision. The investment decision involves the allocation of capital for investment proposals whose benefits are projected to be realized in the future. Investment decisions should be evaluated in terms of their expected risk and return. “The investment decision, then, determines the total amount of assets held by the firm, the composition of these assets, and the business-risk complexion of the firm as perceived by suppliers of capital” (Van Horne, 2002). Customers have been identified by retailers as one of five critical assets that need to be managed effectively in order to achieve their financial objectives. Every customer varies in their lifetime value to a particular organization. The focus of companies has shifted from treating customers as just an entity involved in the business process to treating them as a critical part of their business success. In particular, the importance of a customer is judged by the longevity of a series of potential or actual transactions as opposed to his or her single transaction with the firm. Because of this, activities of a company are now targeted toward developing a long-term relationship with a customer. This paper will focus on the need for retail businesses to establish a collaborative marketing/financial function in the recognition and management of their customer base as a separate, identifiable asset. Financial concepts such as the time value of money and return on investment have been applied mainly to fixed assets such as buildings, fixtures, equipment, land, etc. and have not been utilized toward the valuation of customers. Marketing concepts such as customer profitability and retention have focused on revenues generated from customers and have ignored financial functions such as the time value of money. Companies that create maximum value for their customers will survive and thrive in today’s marketplace and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. All customers are not equally important to businesses. Companies can increase their profitability by identifying and building relationships with their better customers. Marketers know that a relatively small number of customers account for the majority of their profits. This principle, called the 80-20 rule, states that 80 percent of the sales or profits for a business are generated from 20 percent of the customer base. Marketers need to segment and rank their customer base in terms of importance and develop marketing programs aimed at their highly valued customers. Only through the use of financial concepts such as the time value of money and investment principles can a marketer accurately access the importance of individual customers

Non-trivial \theta-Vacuum Effects in the 2-d O(3) Model

We study \theta-vacua in the 2-d lattice O(3) model using the standard action and an optimized constraint action with very small cut-off effects, combined with the geometric topological charge. Remarkably, dislocation lattice artifacts do not spoil the non-trivial continuum limit at \theta\ non-zero, and there are different continuum theories for each value of \theta. A very precise Monte Carlo study of the step scaling function indirectly confirms the exact S-matrix of the 2-d O(3) model at \theta = \pi.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Study of theta-Vacua in the 2-d O(3) Model

We investigate the continuum limit of the step scaling function in the 2-d O(3) model with different theta-vacua. Since we find a different continuum value of the step scaling function for each value of theta, we can conclude that theta indeed is a relevant parameter of the theory and does not get renormalized non-perturbatively. Furthermore, we confirm the result of the conjectured exact S-matrix theory, which predicts the continuum value at theta = pi. To obtain high precision data, we use a modified Hasenbusch improved estimator and an action with an optimized constraint, which has very small cut-off effects. The optimized constraint action combines the standard action of the 2-d O(3) model with a topological action. The topological action constrains the angle between neighboring spins and is therefore invariant against small deformations of the field.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, The 30 International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory - Lattice 2012, June 24-29, 2012, Cairns, Australi

Teaching Supply Chain Operations Planning Using Actual Industry Data Across Multiple Organizations

The purpose of this case study is to provide a pedagogical teaching tool from a business-oriented viewpoint for an undergraduate supply chain management class. Students are provided with challenging questions and problems to solve which enriches their analytical skills in assessing product assortments, developing effective forecasting techniques and collaborative decision making skills with operation managers and supply chain partners. This case examines supply chain management as a collaborative function intertwined with other organizational tasks and provides future supply chain managers lessons on interactions and integration of multiple business units using the latest business practice examples in supply chain management. The case was developed through interviews with eight supply chain professionals across six organizations and uses actual POS data from a retailer

The Impact of Store Brands on Overall Product Category Performance

A comprehensive store-level data set of 9 dairy product categories across 149 stores of a supermarket retailer chain over 32 weeks in 2021 was used to examine the impact of store brands on overall category performance as measured by net margin dollars. The study examines results on both the overall dairy department and category specific performance. The results for the overall dairy department indicate there is not a significant positive relationship between a change in overall store brand sales penetration and profitability. There is, however, a significant positive relationship between overall store brand net margin dollar penetration and category profitability

Saints Christmas Trees Pricing Analysis

This teaching case and assignment pertains to various areas of pricing analysis that are essential for business managers. There are numerous pricing components integrated into this case that will enhance students’ understanding of various elements that influence pricing decisions. Students will need to analyze and calculate various pricing components that are linked to other economic and marketing concepts. This case is suited for an undergraduate introductory marketing or economics course. Provided at the end of the case are teaching notes for instructors

Forbidden subgraphs in the norm graph

We show that the norm graph with n vertices about View the MathML source edges, which contains no copy of the complete bipartite graph Kt,(t-1)!+1, does not contain a copy of Kt+1,(t-1)!-1.Postprint (author's final draft